Dream: The Swappers

December 21, 2005

Okay, if you’re one of those folks who believe dreams can be interpreted, that dreams are our subconscious trying to tell us something, then feel free to take a stab at this one.

We (family) are sitting around the house when we hear knocking from the laundry room, which has an entrance from outside. “Someone here?” I ask SWMBO, but she says she doesn’t know. So I go check. When I get to the laundry room there’s a guy hooking up a different (not new) washer and dryer; our washing machine is gone and our dryer is on a hand truck (both our washing machine and dryer, by the way, work fine).

“What are you doing?” I ask.

“Swapping out your washer and dryer.”

“Why?” I semi-shout.

“I thought you would like it.”

“No! I don’t like it. Put my washer and dryer back.”

The guy gives me this quizzical look, like I’m the demented fellow in the room. “Well, okay.” he says.

By this time, SWMBO has arrived. I tell her to call 911, and the fellow says “Don’t get upset–most people like having their washer and dryer swapped out.” I tell him we don’t. I grab a pen and paper to go outside and write his tag number down, in case the police don’t arrive before he leaves (good thing; they never did show up).

When I get outside, there’s a truck (with my washing machine loaded on it), a guy driving, a woman in the passenger seat, and standing near the back of the truck is an older lady (not old, from my nearly forty-seven year old perspective, but older–maybe sixty). She is watching a little girl, around five years old, walk toward the door (where I’m standing). The little girl has her hands extended, and says “Here’s five dollars and a biscuit.” Sure enough, in one hand is a five dollar bill and in the other is a biscuit.

I tell the little girl I don’t want the five dollars or the biscuit, and the older lady calls out “It’s for your trouble.” I call back that I don’t want the five dollars or the biscuit, I just want my washer and dryer back.

At this point, SWMBO walks outside and recognizes the older lady. They talk for a second, I can’t remember the conversation, but the gist is the older lady cleans houses, and somehow or other SWMBO has met her. SWMBO then asks “how much do you charge?” I look her as if she’s nuts. “We’re not letting any of these people in our house!”

“But she might not charge too much.”

And it’s at this point, with our original washer and dryer replaced, these strange folks begin to pile in the truck. I tell them “And we don’t want our refrigerator, our stove, our couch, or anything else swapped out.” Then I wake up.

So, while I don’t believe dreams are our subconscious trying to share a subliminal message, if you do believe dreams have meaning I’d love to hear what this one might be trying to tell me.

Comments

Shane said:
I’m betting that you ate at the Mexican eatery that evening.

But if I had to take a stab:

You feel like people are either “getting one over on you” or not giving you the respect you feel you deserve. These are people in positions of authority to whom you really can’t complain. This frustration leads to overgeneralizing subconsciously and can causes little things to bother you.

You were happy in the dream to be right and getting the license number was the ammunition to prove it. Your wife is on your side but tries to calm you down in these situations so you won’t do anything rash. Because of this at times you feel like she doesn’t understand.

The child was a representation of your feeling toward responsibilities that you feel obligated to, that prevents you from doing what you WANT to do.

Now — how’s that for a stab at psychoanalysis! But you asked fer it!!!